For Ray, work doesn’t end just because the shift does. The work includes being a consistent part of the community, whether it’s for one child or a roomful. It means raising up and supporting those who need that extra lift.

For Ray, work doesn’t end just because the shift does. The work includes being a consistent part of the community, whether it’s for one child or a roomful. It means raising up and supporting those who need that extra lift.

It’s time for Nebraska football to get back to basics. It’s time for Nebraska football to get back to Nebraska football. Fundamentals. Efficiency. Consistency. For me, the ability to turn the Huskers back into a confident and dependable football machine will define Mike Riley’s first season on 10th Street.

About 650 members of the International Cake Exploration Societé from 25 countries were at the CenturyLink Center through Sunday to display their colorful cake creations, attend workshops and celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary.

Dear Sassy Housewife:I'm a 15-year-old girl who loves to read, play sports and spend time with my family. I've never had many close friends. I really like school and I'm looking forward to the upcoming school year. There's just one thing that worries me: "Sandra."

The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System will continue to fund all skilled and nonskilled care services for veterans who already are receiving them through Sept. 30, VA officials announced Friday.

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Until the start of fall camp, The World-Herald will be counting down the top 50 players you need to know heading into the 2015 Husker football season.

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Byerson Cockrell

6-0 | 185 | Sr. | DB

An injury vaulted Cockrell into the starting lineup at the safety spot in Nebraska’s regular-season finale last year, and the junior-college transfer performed as if he’d been the top backup all season long. Except he hadn’t.

Last week, "The Bottom Line" featured former Nebraska coach and athletic director Tom Osborne, new Husker Jordan Stevenson and current Huskers Tommy Armstrong and Jordan Westerkamp.

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Former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne joined the show to break down the Nebraska 100, including No. 18 Erick Strickland:

“I knew about Erick, and we wanted to get him to play football. I remember after his senior year of basketball I talked to him, and he had another year for football. I talked him into coming out for spring football, and he spent one day. At the end of the day he was gass...

Until the start of fall camp, The World-Herald will be counting down the top 50 players you need to know heading into the 2015 Husker football season.

* * *

Zach Sterup

6-8 | 320 | Sr. | OT

The new coaches aren’t yet sure what they have in Sterup. Last year’s game film is a bit misleading. Injuries slowed the menacing-looking blocker, who handled rushers effectively during some engagements but struggled at critical times to keep the pocket clean. He was out all spring, too.

Paul Chryst did not recommend Nebraska to Jordan Stevenson, nor did Stevenson ever ask Wisconsin's new head coach about the Huskers once Wisconsin denied academic admission to the four-star running back from Dallas.

But Chryst said at Big Ten media days on Thursday he was happy Stevenson landed with a good program — one that happens to be coached by one of Chryst's mentors, Mike Riley.

"There's a big part of me that's happy he landed at a good place," said Chryst, who added he has never talked to Riley, whom he worked under at Oregon State, about Stevenson. "And there's ano...

One tweet set off a firestorm of social media attention on Thursday. That tweet came from the account of running back Jordan Stevenson, a consensus four-star prospect who was denied eligibility to Wisconsin before looking to Nebraska as a top landing spot.

And at 1:21 p.m. on Thursday, Stevenson finalized his choice.

Soon, the reactions followed. With recruiting analysts chiming in, Huskers coaches and staffers celebrating and fans rejoicing. Here are some of the best reaction tweets to the news.

Next Wednesday marks one month until the start of Husker football season. That day is also the first Fan Day under coach Mike Riley.

Nebraska's football Fan Day runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a move from its Friday afternoon slot in recent years.

Fan Day presents a chance for Husker fans to meet the players and coaches, spend time in Memorial Stadium and get autographs. The Nebraska Athletic Department passed along a few tips to follow, plus a map of where fans should stand in line and enter the stadium.

Nebraska junior defensive tackle Maliek Collins and sophomore receiver/punt returner De’Mornay Pierson-El are among 11 Big Ten players named to the conference’s preseason Players to Watch list Thursday morning. A media panel voted for the top five players from both the East and West Division, with one additional honoree because of a tie.

Nebraska was one of four schools with two players on the list, joined by Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Collins emerged as a dominant force at defensive tackle last season, leading the team with 14 tackles f...

Until the start of fall camp, The World-Herald will be counting down the top 50 players you need to know heading into the 2015 Husker football season.

* * *

Charles Jackson

5-11 | 180 | Junior | Defensive back

Just when it appeared that Jackson had finally settled into a role, a knee ligament injury required season-ending surgery. That was early in preseason camp last fall, during what was supposed to be his final audition for the No. 1 nickel job. He’d tried it as a freshman, then got moved to safety as a sophomore.

Saturday night: In the bottom of the 10th, with Paulo Orlando on second base and two outs, Alcides Escobar hits the weakest blooper possible to the right side. Somehow it falls for a hit. Orlando rolls around third and scores. Walk-off. Pandemonium at sold-out Kauffman Stadium.

Sunday afternoon: The Royals score four in the first, then get seven productive innings (one run, six hits, no walks) from the combustible Yordano Ventura. Oh, and during the game, they land the prize of the trade market, the missing piece to ...